By ,
Published September 12, 2015
What others are saying about Colorado Avalanche defenseman Adam Foote, who on Friday announced his retirement:
Avalanche president Pierre Lacroix: "Adam was a warrior, a player who gave it everything he had every night. He was an integral part of the team that moved from Quebec to Colorado in 1995 and established a winning tradition in Denver. We thank Adam for helping lay the foundation for this franchise."
Avalanche general manager Greg Sherman: "On behalf of the Colorado Avalanche, congratulations. Your career has been an excellent career and it will come to an end Sunday. You should be proud of what you have accomplished."
Avalanche center Matt Duchene, who has been living with Foote's family for two years: "He's been a huge mentor. There's probably a group of people I can count on one hand -- maybe two at most -- that have been influences on my career, and he's one of them. He's going to be a guy that when I'm hopefully still in Denver and sitting at that table in my retirement, he's going to be a guy that's going to be here. I'm thankful for what he's brought to me. It's amazing to be able to experience and be a part of a great career like that, having him as almost a family member, as an uncle figure. He's been great for me."
Avalanche right wing Milan Hejduk, who was Foote's teammate when Colorado won the Stanley Cup in 2001: "This press conference was emotional. It was definitely emotional for me, too. It's hard to see a longtime teammate retiring, like Joe (Sakic) did a couple of years ago. You realize you're not going to play hockey forever, you have to retire at some point. It's part of life, leaving. That's what it is."
Former Avalanche captain Joe Sakic: "We spent most of our careers together and he is a great guy and a great leader. He'd do anything for his teammates. He left it all on the ice. He gave it everything he had to the organization and to the city and to our country. I'm very proud to say I had the chance to play with him and it's great to be here to see this."
Avalanche defenseman John-Michael Liles: "For the guys who had the privilege of playing with him, you remember him as a guy who laid it out there every night, but at the same time he was that presence in the locker room as well. This organization has been pretty fortunate to have had Joe Sakic on one hand, who was kind of that quiet, lead-by-example type, and then you had Footie, a guy who tells it like it is when things aren't going right and when things are going right. He made sure that the ship's heading in the right direction."
Hall of Fame goalie Patrick Roy: "It was a privilege to have Adam Foote in front of me every game. He was not only a great roommate and a great friend, but he was most importantly an outstanding warrior, someone you can count on every night."
Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque: "Adam was an incredible teammate and I was very fortunate to be able to play with him. He was the ultimate warrior. I loved going into big games knowing he was on my side and I feel very fortunate to have played with him as his 'D' partner."
Former Detroit Red Wings rival Brendan Shanahan: "Congratulations to Adam for such a complete and successful career. I both loved and hated playing against him. I am reminded of our friendship on the ice every time my shoulder locks up or my nose makes that constant funny sound while I sleep. Thank you, Adam!"
Former Avalanche teammate Rob Blake: "Adam was a true professional that came ready to play every night. He had a competitive nature that was contagious among his teammates. He was not only a leader on the ice, but also a leader in the Denver community. It was a privilege to play with and against Adam."
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/league-reacts-to-adam-footes-retirement